Howard Jones

When it comes to tackling challenging issues, the Chair of Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group Ltd. (MDWWG), Howard Jones doesn’t pussyfoot around.

Perhaps it is a legacy of growing up on dairy farm at Quantong near Horsham in Victoria’s Wimmera district or his years playing and coaching VCFL football.

Either way, Howard is a dynamic leader of the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group and passionate about doing something to help restore our degraded wetlands and floodplains.

Howard has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the irrigation industry. He was one of the founding members and was a director of Western Murray Irrigation, a private irrigation company set up in 1994. The Company owns 67 gigalitres of water with one megalitre equalling one share.

Howard has been a board member of the Lower Murray Catchment Management Authority and a member of the former NSW Murray Wetlands Working Group since 1994 and Chair since 1996.

Howard says he first became involved in these groups “because I’ve wandered around swamps, rivers and creeks all my life and noticed things had gone ‘pear-shaped’.”

Concerned about the degradation of our wetlands and floodplain systems, Howard says being involved in the wetlands working group gives him “an opportunity to do something about it.”

“The MDWWG is a facilitator and works in very well with the government, communities and in particular industry,” says Howard. “We don’t go where we aren’t wanted and only work with willing participants."

“From the word go we have always been innovative and always applied good science to any area we have gone into.”

Howard, who regards his involvement in the wetlands working group as one of his most rewarding activities, has had a significant role in the planning process for key wetland areas.

In May 2013, Howard became a member of the Basin Communities Committee, to provide a community perspective to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority on Basin-related matters.